Spot and the Inhabitants of Vaalda IV
by I heart Star Trek
Summary: Spot is in engineering by the anti-matter reactor. He gets covered in unknown radiation that is undetectable by the tricorder. Geordi's VISOR picks up this radiation but after running several tests, he concludes there is no abnormal radiation on the ship. There are diplomats from a planet petitioning to join the Federation onboard and Captain Picard is mediating the petition.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Data was in his quarters. Though he required no sleep, all personnel were assigned a room and he had come to appreciate having a space on the ship where he could be alone if he wanted to. Before being assigned to the _Enterprise_, he never would have thought it possible to have a collection of special items, friends, or especially a cat. Data glanced over at Spot and saw that he was awake. Methodically, he collected the empty food and water containers, synthesized fresh supplies and emptied the litter. "Good morning, Spot," he said pleasantly.

The cat meowed in reply. "Would you like breakfast, Spot?" Data walked to the replicator and removed the cat chow. Spot rubbed against the android's legs and Data automatically picked up the feline and scratched behind his ears. Spot purred and Data began to rub his stomach. This pleased the cat and it stretched very noisily. "I must go now, Spot. I will return in approximately four hours to replace your water dish." Data set the cat on the scratching post and tried to hand it a synthetic mouse filled with catnip. Spot swatted it, yowling. "I will leave the mouse here for you," Data told the cat, setting the toy gently on the floor next to it. He exited his quarters. As the doors hissed shut, a tiny ball rolled across the room, jamming them. Spot leapt after the marble, activating the door sensor. The small sphere rolled down the corridor and into an empty turbo lift. The cat streaked after it and pawed uncertainly at the ground as the lift started to move.

The turbo lift doors opened again and Spot ran out. The cat looked around for the ball and, upon not seeing it, began to explore the new territory. There were no houseplants to eat or furniture to scratch or even kibble to munch on. The curious cat crawled past many personnel, too busy sniffing to say hello. As Spot made his way through the room, he saw a familiar face. He made his way over to the Chief Engineer, and rubbed against his legs purring.

While running a diagnostic on the reactor core for the warp drive, Geordi felt something touch his legs. "What the..." he muttered and looked around curiously. "Spot? What are you doing in here?" The cat meowed quietly. "I better take you back to Data's quarters. Hey, Reg!" Lieutenant Commander Barclay extracted himself from behind a wall panel.

"Yes, Commander?" Barclay replaced the panel and walked over to Geordi.

"Keep an eye on the place. We've just had an unexpected visitor who needs to be returned to his quarters." Geordi held up the cat. "Spot usually stays put while Data's on duty. I better take him back to his quarters."

"Are you sure you want me..." Barclay started to protest. "I mean, yes Commander."

"Thanks, Reg. You know, since Lieutenant Commander Gill is getting a transfer, I'm going to need a new Assistant Chief Engineer. You know anyone who'd be interested?" Geordi looked up at his companion.

"A new Assistant Chief? Well, I don't wish to sound, well, presumptuous or anything but I might know someone." Barclay twisted his hands nervously behind his back.

"Well, tell them to talk to me soon. See you around, Reg." Geordi stroked the cat and was halfway out the door when Barclay caught up to him. Smirking a little, he turned around. "Something on your mind, Reg?"

"Well, if it's not too much, I'd like to put my name forward for the ACE position. If you don't have anyone in mind, that is. If you do, it's okay. I mean, you're the Chief. What you say goes."

Geordi cut Barclay off. "Done. Now, I need someone to be in charge for a while. Are you up to it or not, Reg?"

"Yes, sir. You can count on me, sir." Barclay hurriedly backed away towards Engineering. Geordi shook his head and laughed. Barclay was a great guy to be around, once he loosened up. Looking at the cat, he remarked:

"Between you and me, Spot I think Reg is the perfect man for the job." Geordi paused and looked at the cat. "C'mon cat, let's go see Doctor Crusher. I think you got into something during your visit to Engineering."

"Doctor you're sure there's nothing wrong with him?"

"Geordi, I've examined him twice. Spot is positively the example of good feline health. Now take him back to Data. I'm sure he would like his cat back." Beverly handed Spot to the Engineer.

"Actually, Doctor, I need to get back down to Engineering. I've got Reg running a few tests and I kinda need to see the results as they come in." Geordi looked at the cat. He could have sworn he saw something abnormal in the electromagnetic spectrum around that cat. "LaForge to Lieutenant Barclay. Any progress, Reg?"

"I have run several tests and they've all shown negative. According to the computer, all radiation is at normal levels. I even ran a self-diagnostic on the computer to check for errors in the sensors and it's working perfectly." Doctor Crusher gave Geordi a look as if to say '_see?_'

"Thanks, Reg. I'll be back in a few minutes. LaForge out." Geordi turned back to Beverly. "You know, Doctor, there was some form of radiation there. I saw it."

"Geordi, when was the last time you relaxed?" Doctor Crusher had her med-scanner back out and was running it on LaForge.

"Relaxed? Um, I was in Holodeck 2 last week I think. I had that program running, the one where you can interact with old Starfleet personnel. I had a wonderful discussion on the theories of transwarp beaming with Captain Scott."

"Geordi. When was the last time you did something that did not involve Engineering?" Doctor Crusher persisted.

"Doctor, I'm an Engineer. That's not what I do, it's who I am." Geordi tried to explain. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to Engineering."

Back in Engineering, Geordi shook his head at the test results. "It must have been an echo from the radiation emitted from the warp core."

"That's what I believe it to be as well, Commander," Barclay detailed his findings. Geordi asked the occasional question, which Barclay readily answered and expanded on.

"Picard to Commander LaForge. We have a group of Vaaldan dignitaries preparing to beam aboard. Meet us in Transporter Room 3." Geordi looked at his companion.

"Well Reg, I gotta go. Duty calls." He half-smiled and hurried down the corridor to the turbolift. "Transporter Room 3." LaForge called out, absent-minded. The turbo started its ascent and Geordi stared at the walls, thinking about his conversation with Barclay. A loud yowl drew him out of his trance. "Spot!"

"Commander LaForge."

"I'm on my way, Captain. The lift's at Deck 27."

"I'll see you in a minute then, Commander." Geordi could almost see the Captain nodding to himself. He looked back at the cat. "Well Spot, I guess you're coming with me to meet some pretty important people." The doors opened and Geordi walked into the Transporter Room, the cat trailing him. "LaForge to Data."

"Go ahead, Geordi."

"Data, I got your cat following me. I found him in Engineering and meant to take him to your quarters but I'm Transporter Room 3."

"Understood. I will be there shortly to pick him up." Geordi cut the link and straightened his tunic. As the ambassadors rematerialized, Spot jumped to the Transporter pad.

"Mr. LaForge..." Captain Picard didn't bother to finish the question.

"Captain. I found Spot in Engineering and was on my way to Data's quarters when you comm'd me." Geordi hoped his explanation would satisfy the captain. To his surprise, the captain looked amused and introduced the party of dignitaries.

"This is my Chief Engineer, Commander LaForge. Commander, this is Ambassador Vaaldez and his associates, Vaanna and Vaada."

"Ambassador," Geordi acknowledged him. He knew little of Vaalda IV, except that it was located in the Gamma sector and its inhabitants were fairly reclusive. About six months ago, the Vaaldans had petitioned for admittance into the Federation. Captain Picard was to be the Federation's representative. Geordi looked at the cat he was still holding. "This is Spot. He belongs to one of our crew." The ambassador laughed good-naturedly. Geordi glanced at the animal and noticed the same radiation signals that he had observed earlier. "Captain, if you'll excuse me, I need to simulate a test down on the Holodeck."

"I see. Carry on with your experiment then, Mr. LaForge."

"Thank you, sir." Geordi knew he needed to tell the Captain something as to the nature of his simulation, if only to satisfy his superior's curiosity. "It's a, uh, experiment with my VISOR. I'll ready a report for you when it's completed." Geordi improvised. While it didn't tell the Captain the entire truth, nothing in his statement was a lie. He was planning on preparing a complete report for his Engineering Log and there was no reason why Captain Picard couldn't have a copy of the same report.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Geordi looked at the tricorder. "Well, that's strange," he murmured to himself. "Hey, Reg! C'mere a second."

"Yes, Commander?" Barclay sealed the Jefferies tube he had been working on.

"Does your tricorder detect any radiation?" Geordi looked around. "Mine doesn't but I'm seeing energy surges throughout the entire ship!"

"I'm sorry, Commander. My tricorder registers nothing." Barclay folded his instrument closed. Geordi walked away, seemingly transfixed by whatever it was that his VISOR was showing him. "Commander. Where are you going?"

"Hmmm? Uh, nowhere. Let's get back to work." Geordi shook his head.

"Commander, if I may, our shift is over in ten minutes anyway. I have two beta shift engineers here right now." Barclay nodded his head nervously. "Let's go down to Ten-Forward and I'll buy you a drink."

Geordi grinned. "Alright. Second round's on me, though." Barclay smiled back at the old joke. Onboard the starship, nobody used money, not even credits. "One more thing, Reg. Off-duty, especially then, it's Geordi." As they made their way through the ship, Geordi suddenly stopped. "Ahh, we're going to have to postpone that drink. I just remembered I got an experiment in the Holodeck."

"Commander...Geordi...Do you need assistance for your experiment?" Barclay inquired.

"You know, Reg, I could use a hand. You see I want to test my VISOR's capabilities to the limit. I thought I saw something the other day, but it didn't register on the tricorder. And I took Spot, Data's cat, to Sickbay. Doctor Crusher thinks I need to relax but I know I saw something." Geordi sighed. "Speaking of Spot, he still didn't make it back to Data."

"Geordi, Commander Data in all probability has located his feline friend by this time."

"You know Reg, you're probably right." Geordi conceded.

"Which is why I'm your ACE." Barclay grinned. "I get to tell you what to do when you're not thinking clearly. Now, let's go set up this experiment of yours."

"I really thought this would help," Geordi muttered as he and Barclay exited the Holodeck. "I'm telling you, Reg, I honestly thought the computer would be able to imitate all forms of radiation."

"Commander, Geordi, I believe we assumed that the computer would also project radiation that has not been catalogued into the computer." Barclay tripped. "What the...A cat?"

"Spot?" Geordi picked up the cat. "You know, Reg, Spot was in Engineering when I saw the radiation. Let's go back for a minute. Computer, run program LaForge2."

"Sir, the cat." Barclay exclaimed. Geordi turned from the computer.

"There's radiation on that cat alright. I wonder why the tricorder couldn't pick it up. C'mon, Captain Picard wants a report. We might as well deliver it in person." Geordi tapped his communicator. "LaForge to Captain."

"Picard here. Go ahead, Geordi."

"If you have a moment, sir, I'd like to deliver my report.


End file.
